Again I apologize for the time it took to write this chapter, my schedule has been hectic and I hope that the fact that I jump in and out of the story will affect the way it is written too much. Thank you for your reviews and I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as the others.

"I knew something bad was going to happen when you decided to pick those deathbells. Something bad is always related to their encounters." Alena began to straighten up and continue through the swamp, leaving the dead frostbite spiders behind.

Selther looked offended by her comment. "That myth has never been proven, bad luck such as picking deathbells or breaking a mirror are simply ways to get yourself in trouble. The owner of the mirror will confront you because mirrors are expensive and make a loud noise when broken and deathbells grow in hazardous locations, such as a swamp, where dangerous wildlife is found. The fact that something bad happens to you is only because you are simply at the wrong place at the wrong time. You only notice it more often because you believe in such things."

"Well I'm sorry that I'm a woman of superstition and not one of science and knowledge like you are. I am inclined to my beliefs just as you are inclined to yours."

"I know that, I'm simply telling you why your beliefs are nothing but a series of rumors that have been passed down by those that have found themselves in situations directly related to these omens." The two of them argued back and forth until Troy became annoyed and quieted them. They're arguments happened often when they were still a group and it seems that hasn't changed over the years.

When they finally reached the town of Morthal, they attempted to ask around for any sightings of Elisa. Their first brought them nowhere and the second was just insulting.

"Excuse me, do you know where we can find someone named Elisa? She's a Breton, short black hair?" Selther asked the nearest civilian who was sitting on his porch cleaning an iron sword.

"Yeah, she's back the way you came, said something about getting too annoyed by outsiders asking stupid questions." The arch mage took a great amount of offence to this gesture, but Troy was there to keep him from incinerating the poor bastard. No luck there, they figured the Yarl would provide more light on the subject, but when they got to his longhouse no one was inside. It's like the whole town was avoiding them. They finally decided to go into the inn and ask the bartender, they usually know what's going on around the hold. When they entered, the tavern was quiet and empty save for one drunk laying down on a bench and the bartender trying to roll him off and out of his pub.

Troy decided to help and grabbed the passed out drunk by the legs and drag him out the door. Well . . . by drag I mean throw and by out I mean through. The rotten wood gave way so easily troy flinched at its destruction. He quickly took out a large bag of coins and tossed it to the bartender, apologizing for the damage and paying for the repairs. "Why are you people in my bar anyway? All the mead gets warm from the humidity of the swamp and the beds are full of bugs." The bartender looked at them with unease as he picked up the sack of coins at his feet.

Alena spoke first, "We're looking for someone. We were hoping you could give us a lead." Troy, still looking at the damage he caused, saw the drunk get up and hold his head in pain. When he tried to walk off the porch of the inn he tripped on the step and fell face first into the mud then passed out again. When he looked back at the conversation the bartender responded.

"Let me guess, you're here for the vampire you dropped off a few years ago. The only way I'll tell you where she went is if you promise that you're going to get her out of this swamp, this hold. Hell, get her out of Skyrim for all I care, I just don't want her feeding on my customers anymore." She had been in the town recently, that much was clear.

"Alright, we promise. Now tell us where she is." Selther cut in, he sounded like he was desperate to see her but he was trying to hide it. It was no secret that he worried about her. Much like a father would about his daughter.

The bartender looked at him with confusion but quickly dismissed the thought. "She went to the cave that had the last vampire in it. I think that's where she's been staying considering she never rented a room for the time she was in here."

"When was the last time she was in here?" Troy spoke up, turning away from the pitiful drunk laying down in the swamp.

"She was here about a month ago. The guards know not to mess with her since she's technically the thane of Morthal." He sounded almost disgusted at how much she could get away with.

"Thanks." Alena said as Troy tried to get the door on its hinges again and when he saw they were ready to leave he sighed and just tore the whole thing off the wall instead of taking the time to try and open it again.

When they stepped around the drunk on the ground they saw a man running to them, he was holding a bag full of parchments and looked like he was running a long way. Drenched in sweat and panting he handed a letter to Alena. She was about to ask the courier who sent him but he had his hands on his knees and a fearful look in his eyes as he looked at the ground.

She opened the letter to see it was written franticly and barely legible.

"Dear Listener,

Poor Cicero is sending you this letter because he is worried about the contracts rapidly coming in. The brotherhood is hearing whispers of people trying to summon us, Cicero cannot know where they are or how many there are, but if the listener came back we'd be back in business. The brotherhood was able to track one down to Morthal. If the listener would speak with this contact, he is in a shack to the south of the town. Listener would be kind to speak with the client and kinder still to come back home. I hope this letter finds you. Cicero promised that if the courier didn't find you, Cicero would find the courier.

Your faithful keeper

Sweet Cicero

After she stared at the letter trying to decipher the messy handwriting she noticed the small bloodstain at the bottom of the letter and Alena saw that the courier's arm was bleeding. This explains why the messenger sprinted the whole way, he was afraid for his life. She could imagine the insane jester running after him with his ebony dagger. Alena then promised herself to see the client after they found Elisa. She was a member of the order first and an assassin second.

When they finally got to the cave they noticed it was the same cave that the frostbite spiders crawled out of. Looks like that rude man cleaning his sword was at least half right. When they entered they immediately felt a cold, damp presence. The walls of the first chamber were lined with spider webs and dotted with large white eggs. Stepping down the walkway, Troy stepped into a wall of webs then began to flail his arms like a mad man. The other two were to far behind to notice the webs so all they saw was him randomly going insane.

"Troy, you haven't been anywhere near Sheogorath, have you?" Selther began as Troy wiped the webs off his arm.

Troy let out strong, rapid exhales as he attempted to get the webs off of his mouth, "No, I just ran into a web. Help me get this stuff off."

Alena shot into the conversation, "I think watching you squirm would be much more entertaining." At this comment, Selther began to laugh at the sight of his leader struggling with the sticky silk and was joined by Alena. Finally clearing his hands so that he could get it off of his face, Troy squinted at them in annoyance. The three of them resumed to walk through the cave that held one of their members. "So Troy, how's the other Nord doing? Keeping well with all her guard dogs?"

"I wouldn't throw comments like that around so much, we have been trusted with a great secret, and I hope you can respect that.

"It's not that big of secret, the guards have herd howling from the underforge and they all smell like a wet dog. Not to mention the attack of the silver hand on their mead hall. Why else would werewolf hunters . . ." Her voice died down when they finally made there way into a large stone room with a long dining table in the center. Red banners hung on the walls behind a throne at the head of the table. But it wasn't the decorations that caught her amazement, it was the ceiling. Covered with sleeping bats, suddenly all their eyes opened.

From above, they herd an echoed voice speak, "Is that Selther's blood I smell?" Suddenly all the bats took off and began to form a small tornado, then they began to cling to each other, forming a final mass that sat on the throne, its elbow bent at the armrest and the forearm reached for its head. Its fingers held its chin as the bats continued to form. The body slouched in its throne and when the last of the bats joined the rest it was clear who was sitting before them. With a pale face and glowing eyes, hair that was black went down just above her shoulders. Wearing bright red vampire armor, sat Elisa. "Never thought I'd see you again."